I'm afraid that eliminating them easily is only via firearms. I had a friend who used to trap them and then "baptize" them by lowering the trap in water. I thought that was worse than shooting them!

Please don't trap them and then release in another area. I believe that is illegal, and you don't want to give your problems to others.

I have to protect new plantings as these critters always like to investigate the newly turned soil...and destroy my plants in the process.

Some people like them, and if your neighbors are in that category, maybe you can give them some corn to put out so that they will migrate over to other houses.

They are listed in our national Science Museum as a "destructive rodent." 'Nuff said.

I have never heard of any method that didn't involve hurting or killing the squirrel. If you can't get to that level of frustration then you may never solve the problem.

If there is any way to open up your yard so that hawks and owls can swoop in and out, they will make a dent in the population.

Plenty of old timers get to the trap and drown point and claim it is the only thing that really works.

Question, was/is your big black cat a male or a female? Females are better hunters. My Dad had a pregnant stray cat show up on his doorstep and he fed her.

After she had the kittens I had her fixed. When the kittens were old enough I got them fixed too. Three males and two females. The females took out a lot of squirrels and the males just laid around.

The momma cat took out the most. So I think she had more of a "providing for family" instinct.

There were still some squirrels around, but they stayed in the trees and no more damage!

My dogs and the squirrels are both fit as fiddles from the daily chase around the yard.

I see plenty of squirrels and hadn't noticed any damage. Perhaps I have blamed some things on the wrong culprit? Anyway, if this is a problem, I'm willing to do my part. To that end; perhaps it is time for a new fad. It has been nearly 60 years since the last one.

So, lets all sing together now:

Bum, Bum, Bum
Borned in the hills of Caroline
Wore squirrel skin caps that looked so fine
Turned the squirrels into Brunswick Stew
Saved the fields for a landscaped view

Gar-den Car-o-lin-a
See-in our duty clear.

Love the song and the dog exercise comment. My dog goes after chipmonks and birds. Unfortunately, she has caught some birds. Cat is a male and as Wertach stated, not a very good hunter. In the past my female cats were great!

Hubbie still shoots the squirrels and throws them in the lake for the snapping turtles. Yuck! But it is Mother Nature at work again, with Hubbie providing some extra help for the turtles. (Got some big 'uns in the lake now...must be the extra protein.)

I heard, last year, that Clemson was working on a birth control pill. I wish someone would get the product on the market.

Love the song! Baptizing, I can't go there. My neighbor is helping with target practice. I would love another cat but don't think it would work with the big black and our little bunny. Birth control pills would be worth a fortune.
Still, No, to squirrel gumbo.